Payments to these non-existent employees had been costing the government more than $2 million a month, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office.

Tanzania spends more than $260 million a month paying the salaries of its estimated 550,000 public workers, according to Reuters.

As authorities continue to audit the public payroll, more “ghost workers” are expected to be found and unfortunately, Tanzania won’t be the last. Many countries across the continent have been hit by this scam in recent years.

After reading stories like these, it’s apparent a secure and transparent public financial management (PFM) system is paramount for all nations.

FreeBalance manages more than $300 billion in budget dollars, across 23 countries. In addition, the FreeBalance solution is more than just budgeting, it empowers governments with the foundation to bring economic growth, accountability and transparency to their citizens.